The Valley of the Kings Site Management Masterplan
Theban Mapping Project, Cairo, Egypt

The Valley of the Kings (Wadi Biban el Mouluk) on the West Bank of the Nile in Luxor, in the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a World Heritage site whose archaeological fame and economic importance as a tourist destination are internationally recognized. The result of its popularity has been a massive increase in visitor numbers over the last decade, now often exceeding 7,000 visitors every day. This number is guaranteed to increase in future years. Without carefully prepared site manegement plans, the very existence of this fragile resource could be seriously threatened.
In the spring of 2004, the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) requested that the Theban Mapping Project (TMP) prepare a masterplan for the future management of the Valley. This project was generously supported by the World Monuments Fund (WMF), and the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), and several private donors. What follows is the main text of that management plan.

The methodology adopted for the plan included studies of the following elements:

Assessment of the significance and values of the site

A survey of historical data

An inventory of threats

A comprehensive condition survey of the tombs and the site

A stakeholder consultation both on site and online

Microclimate surveys

Visitor behaviour surveys

Proposals to remedy the current threats and to prepare the site for the future

These processes are designed to be fluid, dynamic, and will undergo regular revision.

The completed Valley of the Kings Masterplan will be translated into Arabic and form the basis for a practical site manual.

The Theban Mapping Project is very interested in your comments on the KV Masterplan. You can provide feedback directly to us via email at contact@tmpserver.net. We look forward to hearing from you.

The following is the KV Masterplan broken down by chapter. Click on the link to the right of each chapter heading to download an Adobe Acrobat® version of the document: